February 7, 2014

The top U.S. diplomat for Europe apologized Thursday for comments about the European Union that were — to put it lightly — undiplomatic.

“F— the E.U.,” Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland said in a private telephone call that was intercepted and leaked online. . . . State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki acknowledged that the recording was authentic and said Nuland had apologized to E.U. officials.

The real story here is one of the European countries intercepted the private communication and then made it public. Probably Germany as payback for tapping into Angela Merkel's cell phone. It's called payback.

It's not really news or a big deal that a diplomat crudely expressed frustration or disdain for another country (or group of countries) in private.

The proper response is “We expect, in fact we demand, candor amongst our employees in their private deliberations. You can and you should hold them to a high standard for their public comments and actions but if your delicate sensibilities are upset by what individuals say in their private conversations than I would strongly suggest that you shouldn’t listen to them.”

Obama can't protest that a diplomat's private phone call was bugged.One has to apologize for speaking the truth.Diplomats lie 24/7.One can brag about invading other people's privacy.Much more bugged conversations coming our ways during elections. Nobody cares about the morality or legality of listening in other people's private conversations. We reap what the NSA sow.

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